HS TRACK: Clutch performance sends Greenwood's Lively to state meet

Jonathan Hull | jhull@mrt.com

Published 5:03 pm, Saturday, April 27, 2013

Photo: Brad Tollefson

Image 1of/2

Caption

Close

Image 1 of 2

Midland Greenwood senior Jody Lively celebrates after hearing his distance thrown during the Region 1 Track and Field Championship on Saturday at the Linda and Terry Fuller Track Complex in Lubbock. Lively's 155-5 throw set a personal record and qualified him for the state competition. less

Midland Greenwood senior Jody Lively celebrates after hearing his distance thrown during the Region 1 Track and Field Championship on Saturday at the Linda and Terry Fuller Track Complex in Lubbock. Lively's ... more

Photo: Brad Tollefson

Image 2 of 2

Midland Greenwood senior Jody Lively throws the discus 155-5 during the Region 1 Track and Field Championship on Saturday at the Linda and Terry Fuller Track Complex in Lubbock. Lively's throw set a personal record and qualified him for the state competition. less

Midland Greenwood senior Jody Lively throws the discus 155-5 during the Region 1 Track and Field Championship on Saturday at the Linda and Terry Fuller Track Complex in Lubbock. Lively's throw set a personal ... more

Photo: Brad Tollefson

HS TRACK: Clutch performance sends Greenwood's Lively to state meet

1 / 2

Back to Gallery

LUBBOCK -- Jody Lively is used to playing the underdog.

In the fall, there were questions about whether Lively would be able to even compete in athletics during his senior season after he was diagnosed with a low platelet count in his blood prior to football season. But Lively overcame the health issue to play major roles on the Rangers football and boys basketball teams that each won multiple playoff games.

Lively's underdog season got even better Saturday. Thanks to a clutch performance, Lively clinched a berth into the state meet in Austin with a second-place finish in the boys discus at the Region I-3A Track & Field Championships at Texas Tech.

It took Lively's best performance of the season as he cleared 155-feet, 5-inches on his final throw of the competition to clinch his spot at state.

"I felt like I was going to do pretty good on that throw," Lively said. "I don't know, I just felt it."

The event was won by Fort Stockton's Evan Card who had the best throw of any competitor at the regional meet regardless of classification at 170-1. Lively was sitting in second at 152-1 up until the moment Big Spring senior Chris Nunez stepped into the ring for his final attempt.

Nunez put up his best throw of the season at 153-7, jumping ahead of Lively into second place.

"I had nothing to hold back," Nunez said. "It was my last throw. I just went out there and gave it all I had. You can only hope it's enough."

It turned out to not be enough. With the pressure on, Lively stepped into the ring and released the best throw of his high school career. As soon as it landed, a strong cheer went up from the Greenwood fans in the crowd.

Lively thought it was easily enough to get him into state.

"I thought it went further than 155, honestly," Lively said.

He still restrained himself from cheering until the official mark was announced. But as soon as the official read out, "155 feet, 5 inches," Lively pumped his fist and the Greenwood crowd went into a frenzy.

"That was the most clutch thing I've seen in track maybe ever," said Greenwood senior Kam Williams, who was watching Lively throw. "For him to get in after everything he has been through this year is the best thing ever. Jody has been one of my best friends forever. No one deserves this more than him."

Lively's finish at state was improbable in more ways than one. He barely managed to qualify for region, finishing fourth at area, and was the lone qualifier out of the first flight for Saturday's finals.

"I was awful at area. I really kind of choked," Lively said. "I wasn't going to choke again. It's my senior year and my last chance to go to Austin. I came in and got it done."

But after a year filled with opportunities to give up, Lively wasn't about to let any doubts stop him from finishing his senior season on his own terms.

"I was the underdog," Lively said. "It feels so amazing to do so much my senior year. Words can't explain how I'm feeling right now."